This past week, we did an activity on WebQuests! I had never heard of a WebQuest before, but I really enjoyed critiquing a few examples with other students in my class. As we reviewed various sites, I noticed a couple things that set WebQuests apart from each other. First, is organization of the site. WebQuests are so useful because they provide all the directions, links, and tools that one needs to research a topic and accomplish an activity . However, if the objectives and instructions of the activity are disorganized, this process becomes much more difficult. The layout of the site is very important as well. Even simple things like colors and pictures when you first visit a site are so influential in your perceptions of it.
I could definitely see myself using WebQuests in a Science Classroom. There are many biological concepts that relate to issues going on in the world today such as genetic engineering, gene cloning, etc. A WebQuest would help students become familiar with topics like these while learning about the biological processes behind them and then formulating their own opinion about them. Similarly, WebQuests would help organize group activities and discussion with other students that would aid in their understanding. By creating my own WebQuest or utilizing one from the internet, there are many ways that this web 2.0 tool could be used in the classroom.
The next time I am searching for a specific WebQuest to use in an activity, I will be aware of sites like QuestGarden where they are organized into various subject areas. I will know how to critique a specific WebQuest through the site evaluation that we completed in my TPTE class. I will know that it is important for there to be an author, reliable contact information, and consistent revisions made to the site.
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